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Irregular Bluestone walkway materials costs????

Hello all I posted this on another subforum probably not the right one so I am reposting here. I am trying to but some irregular flagstone 1 in thick for a walkway I am putting in. We need to cover an area of 485 square feet but I will not necessarily tightly weave the pieces to match each other and will probably fillt he gaps with 3/4 crushed blue stone.

The problem I am having is trying to price the material. It is sold on a stand up pallet, and I am being told, it can be anywhere from 1 to 1 1/2 tons in weight and cover anywhere from, some tell me an average of 80-100 square feet to others tell me 120 square feet. Cost is anywhere from $380 to $550 a pallet.

I am trying to compare apples to apples but the numbers seem to be all over the place. Is it because the material is so irregular? Can someone give some advise as to how to proceed?

Re: Irregular Bluestone walkway materials costs????

Thanks DJ1 for the advise! Any thought as to the different interpretations of what a pallet has with regards to square feet content. Are all the pallets the same give or take in square footage coverage and it is just their estimations that are different. Or does a less expansive pallet potentially have less stone and a bargain is not a real bargain? Thanks Ike

Re: Irregular Bluestone walkway materials costs????

In general, irregulary shaped stone is palletized to give an approximate standard square footage- based on who's packing the pallet you may get a little more or a little less. That standard pallet amount will vary from quarry to quarry So you compare prices based on square footage, all other things being equal. You're looking at needing around 600 SqFt to be able to pick the best stones for your 485 SqFt planned walkway. The seller may of may not be willing to buy back what you don't need (but they aren't going to want the small left-overs, only the larger pieces). You can always ask them, costs you nothing to ask. Do save at least a few large pieces for future repairs- use them as garden accents or drip stones under a faucet or just stow them away somewhere.